Baripada: Forest officials of the Similipal North Wildlife Division have arrested four persons in connection with the alleged poaching of a sambar deer in Mayurbhanj district, officials said.
The arrests followed an early morning search operation conducted on March 27 by staff of the Thakurmunda Wildlife Range in Asankudar village under Thakurmunda police limits.
During the operation, one accused, identified as Arjun Mahali (35) of Asankudar village, was detained from the TL-8 compartment area while allegedly chopping a sambar carcass. During interrogation, he disclosed the names of three accomplices who had fled the spot.
Acting on the information, forest officials later apprehended the other accused — Sunil Mahali (23), Bikram Mahali (41), both residents of Asankudar village, and Berga Dangil (50) of Ranibhol village — from their respective locations.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused were involved in illegal hunting, in violation of multiple provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Officials said the accused have been booked under Sections 9, 27, 29, 31, 39, 49B and 52 of the Act, and are punishable under Section 51 of the same law (as amended up to 2022).
All four accused were forwarded to the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) in Baripada on March 28 and have been remanded to judicial custody.
Further investigation is in progress, officials added.
